Casseroles and crockpots are a cook's best friend. A meal can be cooked in one pot without constant supervision. Nutritious and mouth-watering meals can be achieved with the cheapest of ingredients. And although the cooking time is long, generally the preparation time is short.
Crockpots and slow cookers are the same thing. In 1970, an American company registered the name Crock-Pot but, like other brand names, the term is now generic. However, slow cooking can also be achieved in a casserole in the oven on very low heat. In general, a casserole in a 160C oven will take about two hours to cook. Whatever your choice, tough, cheap meats turn meltingly tender.
The gentle cooking process gradually breaks down the connective tissue until the meat is tender and juicy. The best lamb to buy is boneless shoulder or forequarter, shanks and shoulder and neck chops. The best beef buys are chuck, blade, skirt and topside steaks and gravy beef. And the best pork for slow cooking is the foreloin and pork pieces.
Most casserole recipes for a conventional oven can be cooked in a slow cooker. Because there is less evaporation, less liquid is required. Some vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are best added half to three-quarters of the way through cooking to prevent them becoming mushy.
Slow cookers work by slowly coming up to heat - about 100C - then holding that temperature for as long as you want the cooking to last. On the higher setting, the cooker comes up to heat more quickly than on the lower setting.
